Freddie Gibbs Charged With Sexual Assault in Austria

Two-and-a-half months after Freddie Gibbs was arrested in France stemming from an alleged sexual assault that occurred in Vienna, Austria in July 2015, the rapper has formally been charged in the incident.

A spokesperson for the Vienna criminal court confirmed the charges of "sexual abuse of a defenseless or psychologically impaired person" Wednesday. "[Gibbs] is alleged to have administered knock-out drops to a woman and then have abused her sexually while she was in a defenseless state," the spokesperson said in a statement, accusing the rapper of spiking a woman's drink, Metro US reports.

Gibbs could face 10 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Gibbs' Austrian-based lawyer Thomas Kralik denied that the rapper had any sexual contact with the alleged victim. "He strenuously denies [the accusations]," Kralik said.

Gibbs' U.S. lawyer Theodore Simon added in an email statement to Rolling Stone, "While Freddie Gibbs was charged with an offense today, it remains only an allegation, and it does not in any way change the actual facts that Freddie Gibbs is 100 percent innocent … As the investigation and process continues, Mr. Gibbs remains hopeful that a thorough, searching and complete investigation will reveal the actual facts, including the absence of any scientific, physical, or credible evidence implicating him, thereby paving the way for his exoneration and return to his family and one-year-old child."

At the time of Gibbs' arrest in Toulouse, France in June, the rapper's lawyer told Rolling Stone in a statement, "Freddie Gibbs adamantly denies the allegations that have been levied against by Austrian authorities. It makes you wonder why it took almost a year for Austrian officials to bring these charges. Freddie will be fighting the extradition request as these are nothing more than trumped up charges."

Gibbs was scheduled to perform in Vienna on May 26th but the concert was cancelled due to "transportation issues." A European arrest warrant was issued for Gibbs days later.